In a progressive move, the Odisha government has announced the extension of maternity and paternity leave benefits to its employees opting for surrogacy, according to an official notification issued by the Finance Department on Thursday night. This policy marks a significant step in recognising the needs of parents who attain parenthood through surrogacy.
Highlights of the policy
>Female employees opting for surrogacy will be eligible for 180 days of maternity leave.
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>Male employees will be granted 15 days of paternity leave within six months of the child’s birth.
>The benefits extend to both surrogate mothers and commissioning parents, including commissioning fathers and mothers.
>Eligibility criteria include having fewer than two surviving children and the submission of a valid surrogacy agreement along with supporting medical documentation.
Leave benefits for parents
This initiative aligns with the central government’s decision to offer similar benefits to its employees, acknowledging surrogacy as a valid path to parenthood. Odisha’s policy aims to support families by providing much-needed time for bonding and caregiving, regardless of the method of childbirth.
A ‘commissioning mother’, defined as a biological mother who provides her egg for surrogacy, will be entitled to the same 180-day maternity leave as a surrogate mother. Similarly, a ‘commissioning father’, the biological father in a surrogacy arrangement, will receive 15 days of paternity leave.
Equitable leave for surrogacy
If both the surrogate mother and the commissioning mother are government employees, both are entitled to the full 180 days of maternity leave. To claim the leave, parents must submit a surrogacy agreement and medical records from certified doctors or hospitals.
(With agency inputs)
First Published: Sep 27 2024 | 1:09 PM IST
